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2008 Beijing Olympics official mascots
Overview
The organizing committee was very intentional in the messaging it tried to convey in every action it took pertaining to the setup of the Olympics. From more obvious aspects such as the motto to subtle more subtle messaging with the architecture, there was meaning to be found in almost every element of the Olympics.
Similarly to the opening performance, a major theme of the messaging and publicity enforced by the organizing committee was harmony. More specifically, three main types of harmony were promoted, harmony among people, harmony between China and the rest of the world, and harmony between the government and its citizens. Another aspect of their messaging was to convey soft power, which is inherently Confucian due to its principle of ruling through virtue and inaction rather than control. These along with other Confucian and Taoist principles could be found in spades in many aspects pertaining to the organization of the Olympics.
Three Core Concepts
In preparation for the Games, the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, or BOCOG, adopted three core concepts for the Beijing Olympics: Green Olympics, High-tech Olympics, and People’s Olympics. These concepts embodied key motifs that the Chinese government would try to implement, environmental protection, technological advancement, and accessibility to both Chinese and international viewers.
The Green and High-tech concepts were intertwined since new technology and infrastructures were revealed such as increased and improved public transportation along with new wastewater treatment technologies. Additionally, these concepts lead to the beautification of Beijing. This included campaigns to reduce air pollution, renovations or demolitions to old buildings, and overall urbanization of streets and facilities. The benefits of these changes were twofold since they led to increased quality of life for residents (other than those who were displaced which we will touch on later) and, it was an initiative to increase soft power. Environmental friendliness, economic capability, and innovation were all displayed to visitors of Beijing and media outlets which covered Olympic preparations. These contributed to soft power principles of control through attraction and virtue, further improving China’s global image.
Beijing Infrastructure in Development for Olympics
Pre-Olympic Celebration in Tianenmen Square
The People’s Olympics concept was enacted through public participation through volunteering and festivals, media coverage of “ordinary heroes”, and a general sentiment that the Olympics was for the people. This application of Confucian harmony among people and between subject and ruler served to greatly increase nationalistic pride, national unity, and CCP approval.
Architecture
The Bird's Nest in Beijing
The Water Cube in Beijing
The Bird’s Nest and Water Cube are the stadiums used to host the land and water events respectively. The designs of these stadiums are clearly based on natural forms, expressing the Taoist principle of harmony with nature, with the Bird’s Nest using natural, flowing forms to resemble its namesake. These stadiums were massively successful, with viewers and athletes alike expressing their love for the designs and visuals, becoming regularly used to host other sporting events and as beloved tourist attractions.
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